By Debbie Schlussel
Welcome to the NEW and Dis-improved Department of Homeland Security, where extremist Muslims are highly coveted commodities, but experienced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are NOT.
This ad for a “DHS Career Expo”–taking place tomorrow–appeared in Washington, DC-area newspapers, last week. Thanks to the gazillion rightfully angry ICE agents who sent it to me. The first thing I noticed is who they’re looking for as agents: extremely religious Muslims women. And then, there is the fact that ICE is no longer considered “Law Enforcement,” according to this ad.

Let’s start with the ultra-PC pic of the hijab-encrusted woman. The message is, “Attention Wolves: Henhouse seeking new residents.” Where are the pics of men and women wearing Crosses and Jewish Stars? We can’t have that. It might offend someone. It’s a good thing DHS wasn’t around in the 1940s or that hijab-encrusted woman would be replaced by a guy wearing a swastika and engaged in a certain salute. And to think this event is being held in the Reagan Building. Ronald Reagan is turning over in his grave.
ICE not listed as “Law Enforcement”? Apparently, “Travel Security & Immigration” are no longer law enforcement functions. HUH?!
That’s news to the ICE agents we pay to engage in law enforcement and carry a gun and a badge. Some excerpts of some of their e-mails are below.
No wonder ICE ranks 222 out of of 230 federal agencies (in a survey of the best places to work in the government) and the highest atrition rate–by far–in Homeland Security. And, as I wrote before, ICE will soon likely lose its traditional Customs law enforcement investigations functions. I’d say these are more than hints that The ICE Princess (ICE Chieftess Julie L. Myers) is a giant, whopping failure. Her agency isn’t even considered “law enforcement” anymore by DHS. Its agents hate her and are leaving in droves. And she’s losing a good part of her agency’s most important functions. She can write her epitaph with that.
Here’s what “her” agents think–and most of them are not Muslims . . . for now:

I was apparently mistaken that ICE was a law enforcement agency. I have been corrected – it is a transportation security and immigration agency. If I want a law enforcement career with DHS, I need to go to the Secret Service, CBP or ‘FLETC’. No wonder morale at ICE is horrible and that ICE ranked at the very bottom of 230 other federal agencies as far as workplace satisfaction (in a recent survey). This is, of course, thanks to our wonderful leader [The ICE Princesss] – who couldn’t care less about placing the right people in the right positions within ICE.
Thanks,
an ICE employee

***

Debbie,
It seems if I want a law enforcement job within DHS, I need to work for CBP, Secret Service, or FLETC. Apparently ICE fits in the “Travel Security and Immigration” section, right below TSA. I’m not that smart, but I thought all the criminal investigations I was doing involving dope, kiddie porn, and money laundering were law enforcement. Perhaps I was wrong. Or perhaps this is a frightening portent of things to come. It seems your recent article about ICE possibly losing Customs authority was right on the mark.
Keep up the good work. The grunts on the ground really appreciate having somone in a position of influence express our viewpoints and understand our frustrations. It would be nice if our own brass did.
A Dedicated ICE Agent

***

Notice the ultra politically correct picture banner. It seems that Anglos are not encouraged to apply. In a war on global terrorism, with radical Muslims being the major aggressors, why does DHS seem to be really trying hard to encourage Muslims to apply (well, maybe just female Muslims)?

***

Debbie,
Seems like the Department doesn’t even recognize us as Law Enforcment any more! This is a recruiting ad for a DHS Job Fair in Washington DC.
The ad outraged about 90% of our workforce to include DRO. By the afternoon we recived the same ad posted to our intranet website. It had been corrected and we were listed 3rd under Law Enforcement.
No apologies, in any fashion. Was like it never happened as far as our management. They even had the nerve to post the corrected version as if it was the new version with no explainations. Also, to add insult to injury we were listed 3rd. ICE in the Homeland Security Act was established as the investigative arm of DHS somewhat like FBI is the investigative arm of DOJ. Also, we have the largest investigative force of all DHS agencies and the broadest authorities as stated and they list us 3rd…Still goes to show you how important the agency is to main DHS. Then the public wonders what’s wrong and that’s why high caliber investigators are leaving in droves for other agencies! A widely known fact is that we currently have the highest attrition rate of any federal agency and nobody including congress cares!
There is no effort whatsover to improve our situation because bottom line is that nobody in upper management or DHS cares. All they care about is they’re salary and bonuses!

***
Since it seems DHS agrees with me that it really is the Department of Homeland Sharia or the Department of Jihadist Security, as I’ve been saying, here’s my new DHS icon, which I’ll be using from now on (though maybe we’ll put Chertoff’s face under the hijab). Thanks, DHS, for doing the free artwork:

24 Responses

If you look at the DHS website, it becomes very evident that not only does DHS not view ICE as a law enforcement agency, it does not recognize their criminal investigation mission, i.e.,
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees enforce immigration and customs laws, safeguard U.S. commercial aviation, and protect Federal facilities.”
“U.S. Secret Service – employees have the dual missions of protecting our nationís leaders, and criminal investigation involving law enforcement, security, information technology, communications, administration, intelligence, forensics, and other specialized fields.”
But, it is no wonder, there is this diminishing of authority when DHS gave away primary ICE mission responsibilities (terrorism financing, etc.) to other agencies.
No disrespect to anyone, but that is what parking enforcement officers do, enforce the law.
Julie, you don’t have a clue.

Correct me if I’m wrong but in the pictures is there any white males? We have an oriental, an african american, a muslim american and physically challenged woman. So are we to assume that they are only looking for minorities?

I saw this new and improved poster for admission to “JulieLand” and found it alarming and disgusting. This agency has been in a flameout since its misconception and it destined to crash and burn. To portray ICE as a non-enforcement agency is a slap in the face and a kick in the nuts to those of us dedicated agents who’ve been trying to get the job done inspite of hapless “leadership?” we’ve been saddled with along with all the PC pandering and boot-licking we’re ordered to do regarding the criminal/terrorist alien masses. Any agency whose management screws up everythiing they touch and gets gross monetary awards for a job well done has some serious problems.
The irony of this whole debacle is that the “Golden” agencies that were tasked with intelligence gathering, investigation and prosecution of drugs, money laundering, terrorist activities, and the overall security of this nation still come to us in ICE to get it done because they don’t have the first clue where to start or mess it up so badly they need us to clean it up and get it right.
I’m glad I’m eligible for retirement right now…I know for a fact I couldn’t stomach another 10 or 20 years of this BS.

How to destroy America. Of course it is not just at the federal level either. Mayor Reconquita is currently attempting to handcuff the LA police force. Take that with the many other “sanctuary” cities that we have and the fact that our border patrol is essentially that in name only and we have a real mess. If we don’t do something soon we are going to be overrun with jihadist, third worlders and lawlessness.

I scanned that advertisement and was going to email it to you, but someone beat me to it! That ridiculous ad has been all over the Washington Metro newspapers this weekend.
How the hell did those DHS morons even think of including the ugly mug of an islamic woman on the ad?? Mohammadens are the people who have been butchering the rest of the world, especially Americans, and now the idiots in the DHS bend backwards for what??
It’s not just the outer surface anyway, it is more of a reflection of the crap that goes on inside DHS… just the tip of the ICEburg.

Well, this just about justifies all of my previous postings regarding the April 30th blog about ICE losing its customs authority; now, it seems like we are going to lose the whole kit and kaboodle, to boot.
Please, all you legacy INS agents – Do NOT reply to this post with any wisea** remarks about how I need EAP or about how I should do my job. You have now heard it from on high that we have now become what we legacy Customs agents have feared.
By the way, I saw the “apology” from the ICE Chief Human Capital Officer. Well, too late and a dollar short; the damage is already done … kind of like Imus making the dreaded “nappy headed **” statement, then expecting to keep his job after the hat’s out of the bag.
It doesn’t get any worse than this, ladies and gentlemen – If you have an escape plan from this abortion of an agency, this might be a VERY GOOD time to execute it, before you lose your 1811 status.

And if you think it’s bad now, just wait until the Dhimmicrats take control of the white house.
NOTE TO REPUBLICANS: France (yes, FRANCE) just elected a RIGHT-WING president who ran on a RIGHT-WING agenda. It’s time the party of Ronald Reagan started channeling the great communicator.

You nailed it 4EVER! Don’t bail! We will get it back brother! When ICE was hatched, it was the broken INS administrators that took over administrative functions. This latest SNAFU was a result of the INS implementing their broken F’d up recruiting policies. This is antoher fine example of the dumbing down of what used to be Customs OI. INS couldn’t carry the jock strap of Customs and it shows!
TDYINHELL

OK, here we go again. HQ screws up and the legacy customs guys go nuts because they can’t deal with it.
We get the point, customs should NEVER have been combined w/INS. INS DESERVED to be abolished because it was a screwed agency with a bifucated chain of command that put non LEOs in charge of LEOs. No argument.
Now what? Do you have a solution or do you just sit around reading this post and bitching?
I don’t want to point fingers and waste time complaining, but where do we go from here? Realistically, should we all say “to hell with it” and not do anything?
I’ve read posts from legacy customs guys and legacy INS guys and they all say the same thing. “The good old days were better”. Well, suck it up because the glory days are gone. Inspections is a mess because of legacy customs. Investigations is a mess because of legacy INS. BP and DRO have to sort it out because NOBODY is cooperating. Both agencies, Customs and INS got stuck with duties they were NEVER meant to have and were ill equipped to accomplish.
We’ve all got 2 choices. Do our jobs as best we can, and hold our heads up in the knowledge we did our best, which I am sure Customs4ever, 1shot1kill, TDYINHELL do(I apologize to all those I did not name, I am sure you all do your best), or we can let it all go to hell in a handbasket. After 16 years of service to this great nation in various capacities, I can’t imagine not doing all I can and giving the best effort I can.

Debbie, I was just wondering, “Is it possible for ICE to make it through a week with embarrassing itself???????!!!!! And to throw some salt on the wound of the already basement low morale, this insults every hard working LAW ENFORCEMENT agent and officer in ICE. The apology emailed later was hollow and meaningless.
This literature had to be approved by several layers of management before being printed, posted and distributed.
I think its time for agents from both legacy agencies to stop the fighting among themselves and send a barrage of emails to their Senators and Congressmen to DEMAND this agency be looked at from top to bottom to have its ineffective and inexperienced management removed.
Field agents from both agencies have to understand several factors; both legacy agencies had different standard operating procedures, different offices in different districts throughout the country have different priorities and methods of operation in order to address those priorities, both legacy agencies enforced different laws (which required extensive and intense training), and neither legacy agency asked for this combined debacle.
I think we can also agree that; there is little or no communication or feedback mechanism between the field and HQ, our leadership is unresponsive to the needs of the field agents, neither legacy agency received adequate cross training, negative reports on the state of ICE are demoralizing and we all want the situation to get better!!!!!
And lets see what we have had to endure; initially giving away our money laundering to the FBI, painful budget problems, giving away Air and Marine, no clearly stated mission, legacy management from one agency trying to follow the rules of the other agency, failure to appoint a leader who can pass a Senate review, carrying around badges that (as SEVERAL fellow law enforcement officer stated) look like it came out of a box of Cracker Jacks, enforcing laws without FULL support from management and HQ, being led by management that lacks credibility or credentials, management by fear and intimidation, rumors that HQ is considering giving away more of our authority and FINALLY our Chief personnel officer (I refuse to use the term “Human Capital”) doesnt even understand our function!!!!!!!!!!
For the record, I am legacy Customs. The legacy INS agents I have met are a hard working bunch, however from a different work enviornment. I don’t understand their job function because NO ONE ever bothered to TRAIN us. Intergration was not a priority in our office. OH, but it is now, after an alleged work blunder on the part of some “untrained” agents, who’s manager didn’t heed the blatant and apparent warning signs. This agency seems to ‘manage by crisis’.
Allowing people to work in or on matters that they have NO training for is asking for trouble. Managers are standing around watching good agents from both sides fall by the wayside and then engaging in the time honored tradition of CYA.
The saddest part is that this agency’s credibility is falling by the wayside. Our own Director promised to look into a matter on the ICE website when it was brought to her attention that something had mysteriously been removed. Her response was that she would like into it, and we should check back at the ICE website. Needless to say, nothing ever happened. LACK of CREDIBILITY!!!!
The Assistant Secretary’s nomination has been returned on more than one ocassion. LACK of CREDIBILITY.
Our Chief personnnel officer doesnt know what ICE does. LACK of CREDIBILITY.
We, the Office of Investigation for the United States Department of Homeland Security have little or nothing to do with terrorism investigations. LACK of CREDIBILITY.
It’s time for legacy Agents from both sides to write to their elected officials!!! Let them know how you feel!! Agents can be united in a common goal to rid this agency of ineffective and unresponsive management. We are the ones who know what it’s like in the field. We are the ones who know what direction this agency should be going in.
To be honest though, I personally do feel that for numerous reasons, ICE and CBP should be combined. Futhermore, the enforcement of Immigration and Customs laws should also be delineated.
Write to your Congressmen and Senators. Ask for a personal meeting to express your views!!!! Also, ask them what the stand is on Immigration reform. Almost 6 YEARS after 9/11, we are still balking on Immigration, port security, terror watch lists and numerous other issues. This whole debacle is disgraceful.
And finally, Debbie, please keep these matter on the forefront!!!! How else would people know whats going on.

“OK, here we go again. HQ screws up and the legacy customs guys go nuts because they can’t deal with it”
My friend … we can’t deal withn it because the screw-ups are beyond joke fodder; they are literally DESTROYING the agency from the TOP DOWN.
Legacy INS, a former DOJ component, is a perfect example of how this type of management style ruined an agency. Different SAC offices have different enforcement modalities and differing needs in terms of support; what legacy Customs did was provide SUPPORT and GUIDANCE, within a FRAMEWORK of policies and procedures. HQ did NOT dictate to SACs what their enforcement priorities or their day to day operations should be like; SACs had great latitude to run their offices according to the flow of what the order of the day was in their AOR. In other words, every SAC office brought its own unique talents to bear within its home area, and the results were reflected in the stats.
Now, like the Feebs, ICE HQ wants to impose its priorities and style on EACH and EVERY SAC office, whether or not it fits their enforcement protocol or not. For example (and that’s all it is, because I don’t know), in Kansas City, MO, illegal immigration may not be the problem that, let’s say, kiddie porn is. However, by G-d and golly, ICE HQ is going to base it’s WHOLE staffing and funding model for the ENTIRE nation on illegal immigration. That means that, if K.C. is not on the bus with illegal immigration, it can forget additional staffing and funds.
In addition, whereas legacy Customs Office of Chief Counsel used to provide legal SUPPORT to OI agents, the new ICE OPLA effectively DICTATES how and if cases will proceed, based on perceived legal liability to the agency (usually immigration related, ICE attorneys know LITTLE, if ANYTHING about customs law). So, in the old days, Customs Agents would present an issue to Chief Counsel, and Chief Counsel would remind the agent what relevant case law was in the area, thus giving the agent a range of options within a given set of particulars. Now, when you go to ICE attorneys, they literally soil themselves thinking of everything that could go WRONG, instead of trusting the agents to do what is RIGHT. Is it any wonder that a large number of ICE agents have retreated to their cubicles and surf USAJOBS all day? Who wants to take a calculated risk in ENFORCING THE LAW, when the agency is now so RISK AVERSE, that it will be happy to hang you from the rafters for even a good faith mistake? And believe you me, after what happened in L.A., don’t think ICE is not due for one of those class actions lawsuits the next time it raids a poultry plant, and the workers claim “bru-tal-i-tee”.
Well, there’s your answer, DEPORTEM; now you see why we legacy Customs guys go nuts when s**t like this hits the press. And, by the way, can you roust up a few shrinks? Because, at this rate, we’re ALL going to go nuts from the insanity that comes from above.

hey, Debbie. the dhs.gov website apparently revised the Career Expo advertisement.
in case they change it again, you can take a look at my blog, where i copy/pasted it for posterity.
WHAT IS YOUR BLOG URL/WEB ADDRESS?
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

I’m sorry to inform you all; but the nation’s “oldest law enforcement agency” and what ever the heck the legendary INS claimed to be, are not, nor have never been Law Enforcement Agencies. You are Regulatory Agencies, merely the United States Security Guards, and that’s an inflated compliment when one considers the price of dope and the number of illegals in the US.
If you think that you are real cops, then I challenge you to speed on home through somebody’s jurisdictions, get pulled over by a donut eatin over weight local, flash your cheesy ICE creds, and do your best “I’m with homeland security/counter terrorism agent” impression.
On my streets, you’d be just another turd,
but you wouldn’t get a ticket…. don’t ask me why.

Hello Debbie,
The various posts about Legacy INS managers being the root causes of present ICE problems are nuts. When the merger happened, INS management was decimated (rightly so!). Please honestly ask yourself these two questions. Who current runs ICE? What legacy agency did they work for prior to the merger? My first answer is HQ staff, SACs, DSACs, and ASACs. I don’t know the accurate percentage breakdown answer to the second question. I do know though that there is only one former legacy INS manager in the SAC Office where I am employed. This might be an abnormality instead of the norm. I don’t know. My point is this: the same individuals who ran Legacy Customs OI are currently running ICE. The only difference now is that they have to deal with the “800 pound gorilla in the corner” that is not going away (Immigration issues).
Whining and moaning is not going to correct the problem. I agree with “ICEDover’s” macro approach. In addition, we can all do our own part with a micro approach in our various offices. Attempt to bridge the legacy divide by having a working knowledge of your new authority is a start. Challenge Legacy INS agents to read the “Law Course for Customs & Border Protection Officers.” If you are Legacy Customs agent, I challenge you to read the following sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act: Section 212, Ineligible for Admission; Section 237, Deportable Aliens; and Sections 261 to 278, Crimes. You will find tools to help you with you current customs related cases. Two examples are the following. 212(a)(2)(I): Money launders (no conviction needed); 212(a)(3)(A)(i): Export violators (no conviction needed). In the words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?”

DHS stands for Department of Homer Simpson or D’OH! INS agents have not been trained in the Customs groups they have been assigned to and legacy Customs agents have not been trained in the INS groups THEY have been assigned to. Promotions are selected on the old slave state/free state, eenie-meenie-minie-moe, she loves me she loves me not basis; one Customs, one INS, one Customs, one INS. I have a buddy in Los Angeles and they are pretty much going by that. Legacy INS is in LA and legacy Customs is in Long Beach. There is one legacy DSAC and one legacy Customs DSAC. Although I never saw the job announcement for the vacant DSAC position, they still managed to select someone. This agency is going to hell in a handbasket and no one seems to care in Washington. The management at the field level from ASAC on above is worthless. They never ask the agents what they need and they don’t fight for the agents that are under them. I have two years to retirement and those two years can not come fast enough.

>hey, Debbie. the dhs.gov website apparently
>revised the Career Expo advertisement.
>in case they change it again, you can take a
>look at my blog, where i copy/pasted it
>for posterity.
>WHAT IS YOUR BLOG URL/WEB ADDRESS?
>DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL
I apologize. For some reason, after I hit “post” the link disappeared. It is: longislandnurse.blogspot.net, and the item mentioned is: http://longislandnurse.blogspot.com/2007/05/updated-version-of-dhs-ad.html

Puhhhlleeeze. I recently retired from ICE. Thank G-d. Couldn’t take one more day of CUSTOMS4EVER type agents sitting on their fat asses complaining about the loss of “the nations oldest law enforcement agency” being turned into ICE while they waited on their 100K paychecks. These same “agents” come from an agency who thinks they are above (and incapable in my estimation) of dealing with an alien (potential terrorist, criminal or otherwise) and believe their job is to work ONE piddly case a year(which involves posting a monthly bs report after the sup tells them 3 times that a review is due). The rest of their time is spent networking with their USCS buddies in HQ and elsewhere who RUN (check for yourself) this cluster….or taking 2 hour lunches and hitting the gym while most (not all) of the “INS” guys use their combined authority to work dope, criminal employer, alien smuggling, financial cases etc. Most of these 4EVER yahoos don’t even know where the US Attorney’s office is. In the many years at the “ICE” office where I worked, the AUSA’s had also never spoken to or worked a “Customs” case. There may be legacy USCS agents out there with a work ethic, but he/she never worked for me.
Those same “agents” will soon be running this sorry outfit as they come from the same agency as the SAC’s, DSAC’s, ASAC’s and GS’s and HQ staff weenies. I fully realized the only reason I remained in place as a sup was there was no money to replace me.
Hey “INS” guys! Get out because you have no future with ICE…… You drank the Kool Aid but your USCS bosses didn’t.
ICEwater